The Soldier's Details
- Surname:
-
Kelly
- First Name:
-
Charles George McQueen
- Rank:
-
Private
- Regimental #:
-
WX7612
- Classification:
-
Driver
- Company:
-
‘D’ Company, 13 Platoon
- Enlisted:
-
10.08.1940
- DOB:
-
27.07.1904
- Place of Birth:
-
Wigtown, Scotland
- Father's Name:
-
Charles Kelly
- Mothers's Name:
-
Agnes Kelly
- Religion:
-
Presbyterian
- Pre-war Occupation:
-
Wheat Bin Attendant
- Memorial:
-
Kanchanaburi War Cemetery, Plot 1, Row E, Grave 42, Age 39.
- Java:
-
‘Blackforce’
- Force:
-
‘ A’ Force Burma, Java Party No. 4, Williams Force
- Camps Thailand:
-
Kami Sonkurai 116km, 122 Camp, Neikhe Wood Camp, Kanchanaburi, Tamarkan
- Camps Burma:
-
Beke Taung 40km Hospital (2.7.1943) Reptu 30km Hospital (22.7.1943), Tanyin 35km, Taunzan 57km, Mezali 72km, Apalong 77km, Kyondaw 108km,
- POW#:
-
4490
- Cause of Death:
-
Cerebral Malaria
- Place of Death:
-
Tamarkan. Funeral service conducted by Chaplain H. Cunningham, General Base Hospital.
- Date of Death:
-
13.01.1944
- Buried:
-
Grave F24, Tamarkan
General Description
Funeral service conducted by Chaplain H. Cunningham, General base Depot.
We believe Kelly may have used his second name George.
Kanachanaburi War Cemetery, photo taken January 2018
Kelly was residing at Quairading Hotel, Quairading when he enlisted, working as a Bin Attendant.
He recorded his sister Mrs Frank McCundle, Mount Ave, Kilmarnock, Scotland as his NOK. He married prior to going away as details were updated to Mrs Josephine Kelly, 45 May Street, Fremantle. He married Josephine Doyle.
Kelly was found to be AWOL when ‘Aquitania’ on its journey from Sydney to Singapore anchored off Fremantle for one night on 15th January 1942. He was one of more than 90 men from 2/4th who were unable to reboard before their ship sailed the following day on 16th January.
This group of men sailed with a later small convoy supposedly destination Singapore, however it was realised Singapore was about to fall to Japan and the group disembarked at Java. Here they joined the Allied troops to fight the Japanese and soon after became a POW on Java.
There were several POW camps on Java. We cannot confirm which one(s) Kelly was imprisoned. Please read further.
He was selected to work on the Burma end of the railway with ‘A’ Force Java Party No. 4, Williams Force.
As there are no records we assume Kelly worked at the listed Williams Force Camps; however he was recorded being a sick at Beke Taung 40km Hospital (2.7.1943) Reptu 30km Hospital (22.7.1943) and was with Norman Holdman WX7465 at these 2 Hospital Camps in Burma.
He died at Tamarkan on 13 January 1943 – but it is probable he was evacuated sick to Kanchanaburi from Neikhe and then walked back with the sick to Tamarkan Camp Hospital.
Kelly’s name is inscribed on Scottish National War Memorial, his details are:
Camp Locations:
- Kami Songkurai, 299k - Thailand
- Tamarkan, Tha Makham 56k - Thailand
- Beketaung, 40Kilo, 374k - Burma
- Reptu, Retphaw, 30Kilo 385k - Burma
- Taungzun, 60 Kilo, 358k - Burma
- Bangan Camp - Thailand
- Anakwin 45 Kilo Camp - Burma
- Mezali 70km Camp - Burma
- Nikhe, Ni Thea, 133Kilo Camp, 281.80km - Thailand
- Kyondaw 95 Kilo Camp – Burma
